Last summer, I participated in the Design and Technology summer camp that was provided by my school, YCIS Shanghai, Pudong. Design and Technology (DT) has always been one of my favourite subjects, and I was overjoyed to get to spend almost two whole weeks doing just that. From the start of the camp, I knew I wanted to make a coffee table, except I wanted it to be modern, unique and different from all the others out there. Some research led me to an idea of a river table, which is a wooden table with a resin “river” running through it. The only catch was, although we had the materials to do so, I would be the first student to make a table using resin like this. 

Over the course of the two weeks, I went through the whole process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing. I also needed to do a lot of experimentation with the resin as I had never used it before and faced challenge after challenge. However, the support of my teachers helped me to overcome many obstacles and learn from the challenges that I encountered. Because there were so many teachers there to support each of us, I also had the opportunity to try some power tools and machinery for the first time, which was a very cool learning experience for me as well. 

Several weeks after returning to school for the new school year, I have finally completed this project. When I look at the finished product of my version of a river table, I am not just proud of the table itself, but, especially, the process I went through to achieve it. It was my first time working on such a largescale DT project outside of my regular DT classes, and I am beyond grateful for these opportunities where I can express myself through the art of creating. 

Opportunities for innovation are found everywhere around our school, from art shows, DT projects, music concerts, Co-Curricular Activities, and the new Student Leadership Team, to the innovative learning spaces (Learning Communities) on campus. During the pandemic, there are many restrictions as to what we can and cannot do. As a result, we are all adapting and adjusting. We can use these difficult times as an opportunity to grow as a school, but, even more so, to grow as individuals.

By Jaymee, Year 10, YCIS Pudong Secondary